


Five times Captain Santiago calls Jake Detective Peralta

by SwirlsOfBlueJay



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-13 01:55:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16007858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwirlsOfBlueJay/pseuds/SwirlsOfBlueJay
Summary: He watches the clock, fingers tapping, knee now bouncing. The new captain will be here in five minutes and Amy still hasn’t arrived. He texts again.‘Do you need me to stall? I will totally run into the lobby like a crazy person and spill coffee all over the new captain for you.’





	Five times Captain Santiago calls Jake Detective Peralta

1)

Jake taps his desk anxiously- he’s being ridiculous- Amy isn’t even due in for another twenty minutes. Except they’ve got a new captain starting today and Amy’s always at least thirty minutes early on those days. There’s nothing in the schedule she could be running late from and she definitely wasn’t sick that morning. Jake can’t help imagining car crashes or vengeful perps. 

He turns towards the sergeant’s desk for the fourth time. The chair’s still empty. Amy hasn’t silently snuck in in the two minutes since he last looked. He turns back to his phone. The new captain will be here in fifteen minutes. There’s no good reason Jake can imagine for Amy not being here. His gut is twisted in fear. He decides to send a text.

‘You okay babe?’

Before Jake can even start to worry about why she’s not answering, she replies.

‘I’m fine. My shift starts at 09.00’

‘I know. The new captain starts today.’

He feels dumb sending it. This is not information Amy would forget.

‘I know. I’ll be there on time. Don’t worry Pineapples.’

The bad twist in his gut unwinds slightly but still remains. Is something wrong? She wouldn’t lie about this. Unless she wants to make sure he doesn’t make a bad first impression and she’s waiting to tell him later. She’s probably fine. Still, he doesn’t think he’ll calm down until he sees her.

He watches the clock, fingers tapping, knee now bouncing. The new captain will be here in five minutes and Amy still hasn’t arrived. He texts again.

‘Do you need me to stall? I will totally run into the lobby like a crazy person and spill coffee all over the new captain for you.’

‘No babe. Calm down. I’m right where I need to be.’

Jake frowns at the response, turning again towards the empty sergeant’s chair. Maybe Amy’s waiting downstairs, planning to meet the captain there and discuss the squad in the elevator ride before introductions. He shrugs to himself and tries to relax. Two minutes left.

The elevator dings. Jake turns. The elevator opens and Jake’s jaw drops to the floor.

Amy Santiago is standing there in a captain’s uniform.

She strides into the bullpen purposefully to applause and cheers. She allows herself only a brief grin before settling into a professional smile. She’s making a speech but Jake’s too busy being excited (and stopping himself from pulling her into a celebratory kiss that he’s sure Amy wouldn’t appreciate right now) to really hear what she’s saying. Amy continues into her office, calling one of the detectives in with her.

Amy calls in each detective one by one. Jake is half-tempted to push in-line and sneak in there. But he’s not going to undermine her authority on her first day. He does frown slightly as Hitchcock is called in before him. Then again, maybe Amy doesn’t feel the need to have whatever conversation she’s having with the others given that they’re married. He can’t help but feel a little left out.

“Detective Peralta.”

Jake absolutely doesn’t knock his chair over in his rush to the captain’s door. 

Jake shuts the door behind him, he can’t stop grinning. “Congratulations!”

Amy grins back. “Thank you and no. We’re not doing whatever crazy celebratory scheme you’re concocting.”

“There’s no scheme. I have no scheme.”

Amy gives him a knowing look. “Uhuh. Sure.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”

“I couldn’t tell you before everyone else. That would be special treatment.”

Jake’s grinning so wide his mouth hurts. “Of course.” He leans in for a kiss.

Amy pulls away. “We can celebrate tonight, at home. And we need to meet with HR again.”

Jake groans. “Didn’t we already do all the stuff when you became my sergeant?”

“Yes, but now I’m your captain, there are more forms.”

“But we’re married!”

Amy raises an eyebrow. They’ve both been cops long enough to know that being married doesn’t stop people from being shitty to each other.

“Okay, when are we meeting with HR?”

 

 

2)

Jake watches Amy arrange things in her new home office. She’s clearly making it an exact replica of her captain’s office. It’s so perfectly Amy and Jake can’t help but find the whole thing adorable. He has tried to help a few times but has been shooed back out. So he just stands here.

Until she calls, her voice hard and stern, “Detective Peralta.”

And he realises that the office set-up was for him too. And oh, he loves her so much.

Jake quickly enters.

“Sit,” Amy orders, tone cold, and he does so eagerly.

She walks behind him, leaning down to whisper into his ear, “Remember your safe word?”

Jake nods. That’s their only discussion of the scene, and Jake loves the anticipation.

(There was a time when Amy would insist they discuss any scene in meticulous detail before starting and they still had an A2 chart denoting the intricate details of every yes, no and maybe. But it’s been long enough now that they know what each other enjoy). 

Amy picks up a case file (likely filled with blank pages- there’s no way she’d bring an actual case file home) and idly flips through it. 

“I’ve been looking at your latest report. It’s very disappointing. Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

“I’m sorry captain; I’ll do better next time.”

“Next time? When I’ve already given you so many chances? Hmm. I don’t think so. See Peralta, you’re a useless detective. A disgrace. Which is why I’m demoting you back to beat cop.”   

“Just give me one more chance, I’ll be better, I promise.”

“I doubt that. Having you as a detective is no use to me, but maybe you could be useful to me in other ways.”

Jake’s already half hard and he has to fight the urge to just rip his clothes off right then. “What do you mean?”

Amy steps towards him, undoes the top two buttons on his shirt, and runs a finger down his chest. “Convince me of the advantages of keeping you in your current position.”

“What? I don’t…I don’t think that’s…”

“Or maybe I’ll just fire you all together.”

“No. Please don’t. I’ll do whatever you want.”

“Then maybe we can come to an arrangement. Here are the rules: you are mine now, to use as I please. You obey me unconditionally; do exactly as I say without argument. And only speak when given permission. Does that sound like something you can do?”

Jake swallows. “Yes.” 

“Good. You better not fail me Peralta. Or you can kiss your gun and badge goodbye. Now get on your knees.”

 

 

3)

Amy isn’t too worried about being Jake’s commanding officer. Starting out commanding the young uniform cops downstairs, there were a few Jake’s she had to deal with. And she did so well. Except it’s been less than a week of being Jake’s commanding officer before she realises it’s going to be a lot more like dealing with an Amy. Except a bad one, who has never been an Amy before and therefore has no idea what he’s doing.

(“So does anyone have ideas for the new filing system?” Amy asks, standing at the front of the briefing room for the first time as a captain.

“We could do it alphabetically,” Jake says.

And she’s about to give him a look for his glibness before she realises it’s a sincere suggestion. Amy has to tamp down her usual competing-with-Jake-response – alphabetically by what, suspect? What if you don’t have one? By victim? Then what if it’s a drug bust with no victim. By type of evidence, that’s just a mess. At least if you had said numerically by case file no. that would be something. Alphabetically, that’s terrible- she’s his superior officer now, they’re not competing anymore. So she merely nods and asks for more suggestions. 

And it continues over the next few days. Jake keeps making suggestions for all sorts of things that are either ridiculous or completely insane. And he’s also spending forever on his paperwork trying to make it better- even though Holt already got Jake to make it the best he could, and now he’s just over-reaching. He’s also got a bet running with the squad that he’s going to beat his personal best in felony collars for the year. He’s doing great work. Until Amy finds him sitting at his desk at midnight looking like he’s on the brink of burning out and she has to tell him to calm down and stop trying so hard.)

She’s quickly reminded of the first year of their marriage where Jake was so ridiculously desperate to prove he was a good husband.  

Jake has never cared about his captain’s approval; sure he’s cared that they think he’s a genius, but not their approval. He does care about Amy’s though.

 

*

 

Amy has an incredibly complex and detailed system when it comes to assigning cases, one she’s honed over the past five years of being a sergeant. It considers fourteen variables for each detective: skill-set, strengths, weaknesses, current emotional well-being, current mental well-being, current physical well-being, situational relation to the case, case-specific experience, case-specific knowledge, potential bias, time between last similar case, case preference, current case-load and her gut instinct. A set of twenty-two variables for each case, sorted into twelve sub-categories. And a time-table balancing different level cases.

(And each of those variables has its own myriad of considerations. For example, if a case falls under the weaknesses of a detective, if appropriate she may still give it to them as practice, but not give them one if they already have a similar case or are not in optimal emotional and mental condition, to avoid a potential slump.)

So she knows the accusation of bias is a vindictive one. And she explains this with a power-point laden with detective performance statistics and case-assignment spread-sheets and precinct rate of completion pie-charts and scatter-graphs. Yes, she does give Detective Peralta some of the best cases; it’s not a dis-proportionate amount considering he’s one of the best detectives the precinct has. It doesn’t take more than a cursory glance at his stats to prove this.

And her superior officers give her sympathetic smiles and tell her this is the way of the world. There are people upset that the rising star of the NYPD is a Latina woman and those people are determined to do something about it. This is the only opening she’s left them. And they tell her it would be best if she deals with it before it becomes a serious issue.

“What do they want you to do?” Jake asks that night.

“Not give you any big cases.”

“Well you could just do that.”

Amy scrunches up her face. “Okay, first of all, that’s a completely inefficient and irresponsible waste of resources. And secondly, would you even be okay with that?”

“No.”

“Exactly.”

“I can transfer,” Jake offers.

“No. You shouldn’t have to. It’s my problem to deal with. If I give in now it will just be worse later.”

“Maybe you should just be really strict and harsh on me at work. Then they’ll have nothing to pounce on.”

Amy raises an eyebrow, thinking back to Jake’s Amy-tendencies with her. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“You take that back! It’s a brilliant genius idea. And I am a brilliant genius for suggesting it.”

Amy rolls her eyes. “And you would be okay with me treating you like that?”

Jake smirks. “Of course. I’ll know it’s not real. And you know I enjoy it when you denigrate my poor detective skills.”

Amy stares at him. “So you’re suggesting I treat you like I would in our bedroom to make me seem less biased?”   

“Come on. It will be fun.”

“Jake…”

“Do you have any better ideas?”

And, despite making a very long list, she actually doesn’t. So she agrees.

 

*

 

Amy’s almost certain it will be a disaster. So much so that she almost makes a bet with Jake. She’s doesn’t though because she’s a great captain and knows that it will likely increase said disaster ten-fold.  

Jake’s a mix of amused and anxious the first time Amy calls him out. He thinks it’s just because it’s the first time and he’s not used to Amy being that way. But over the next few times it just gets worse. It’s not fun like he thought it would be. But he hides his true feelings well. He doesn’t want one of them to have to transfer.

At home Amy repeatedly asks him if he’s sure he’s okay with the whole thing and he jokes that she’s reaching mother-hen levels of concerned and that he understands the difference between real and fake. She still tells him he’s a great detective and that makes him feel a little better.

As the first week of the plan draws to a close Jake finds himself triple and quadruple checking to make sure everything’s perfect. Amy always manages to find something to nitpick though, that’s kind of the point. It’s stupid, he knows it’s fake. But the whole thing has him on edge. She hasn’t even pulled him up that many times. He’s had previous captains who were on his case way more. But there’s no one’s opinion he cares more about than Amy’s and having her say these things is beginning to bring him down.   

“Detective Peralta.”

Jake tenses.

“One minute!” Jake says, in what he hopes is a stable tone as he runs to the bathroom.

It’s fine. Everything’s fine. It’s just that he’s disappointed Amy again. And he can’t do anything right. And he’s always disappointing her. He’s a terrible husband. And she’s going to divorce him. And he’s going to lose the best thing he ever had. And now he’s crying. He holds his hand over his mouth, wipes the snot coming out his nose. He’s being an idiot. None of this is real. It’s a plan, all fake. Amy loves him and knows he’s a great detective. He knows this. But it still feels like the world is ending. Like maybe Amy’s taking this chance to tell him what she really thinks. And he can’t get control of himself. He’s terrible and useless and pathetic. And Amy will be better off without him. And he’s trying to calm down but failing. And maybe he’ll just die right here in this bathroom. Pathetic.

Then there are hands pulling up his shirt, fingers sliding underneath around his waist. Amy. And just like that the dark spiral mellows. And he’s fine. Amy’s here. She hasn’t left. Everything’s okay as long as she’s here. 

 

 

4)

Jake finds Amy sitting on the floor of their living room with papers spread all over the place.

“What’s this?”

“I’m trying to come up with a new rota system that both does what the brass wants and still works.”

“What happened to the plan of riding me? It’s going perfectly. Everyone is convinced.”

“Jake, I found you crying in the bathroom.”

“I wasn’t crying. I’m fine. That was allergies.”

“Sure it was,” Amy looks back at all the papers, “This is impossible.”

“Why don’t you just make a rota based on who hasn’t had a similar case the longest?”

“You want to give Hitchcock and Scully the same cases as everyone else.”

“I obviously meant excluding Hitchcock and Scully.”

“Yeah, I know, that’s an extreme example, but it still doesn’t work, if I’m not going to pay attention to what’s the best for the cases and what’s the best for the detectives working them, then what’s the point?” She stares forlornly, “I think I’m going to have to transfer.”

“No you’re not, I’m going to get you an appointment with Holt.”

“Jake I can’t just go running complaining to Holt every time I have a problem.”

“You don’t have to complain. Just talk to him okay, he’s awesome at advice.”

 

*

 

Holt says, “Ignore them.”

“I can’t just ignore my superior officers!”

“Your methods are beyond reproach and your spread-sheets demonstrate this. No one can penalise you for this.”

“No one cares about my spread-sheets! They said people will say I could’ve twisted the stats, even though I discussed possible multi-colinearity and showed them the analysis both with and without outliers! They said people are going to look at the situation and make up their minds and not care about anything else!”

“It’s unfortunate and it’s hard. I can’t tell you what to do. But if you give in and transfer, people will always find something to pit against you. But I have managed to get to where I am today, despite several clashes with the brass, because I do my job well and I do my job right. Just keep doing what you’re doing; do your job well and right and you will be fine.”

“Thank you.” Amy sighs, she knows he’s right.

 

*

 

So Amy stands tall in front of the precinct and assigns cases as she knows they should be.

And when Jake closes a big case, she smiles and says, “Good job Detective Peralta, well done.”

 

 

5)

“I’ve decided to take the sergeant’s exam,” Jake says.

“Really, but you love being a detective. This isn’t about the whole issue the brass has with us is it?”

“Well, that’s what got me thinking about it in the first place…”

“Jake you shouldn’t have to…”

“BUT… I was going to say, but the more I thought about it the more I wanted it. I really want this Ames.”

“Really? That’s great.” Amy grins and playfully punches his shoulder.  

“Yeah, I was never going to be a detective all my career, I always knew I would move on eventually, when I was older, but I guess I’m growing up.”

 

*

 

The sergeant’s exam is so hard. Jake is so lucky Amy’s helping him study otherwise he would be totally screwed. They’ve just transitioned to the ‘week of exam’ binder and, even though they’re both exhausted, he grins as she quizzes him. He’s so nervous. He didn’t think this would matter so much, it’s not like there won’t be another exam to take if he fails. But the idea of being a sergeant has sunk deep in his bones and he can’t remember the last time he wanted something so bad.

Amy hugs him. “Stop overthinking, you’re going to do so well.”

 

*

 

Amy flicks through the pile of sergeants exams that she still has to mark. She’s about half way through, thirty left to do and a meeting in two hours. She can do this. Amy opens the next exam paper and immediately slams it shut again. It’s Jake’s. Of course there’s no name or other identifying information but she recognises his hand-writing straight away. This shouldn’t have been sent to her, it’s clearly a conflict of interest. She puts it aside and brings up the exam marking guidelines, so that she can quote them accurately when she sends the exam back unmarked. Amy doesn’t want Jake to get penalised for this stupid mistake someone made.  

She reads the entire guidelines and then the handbook twice. There’s nothing. It’s apparently perfectly within the rules for her to mark her husband’s exam paper. Amy still intends on sending the paper back though; just to be completely above board. But there’s no harm in having a quick look to sate her curiosity.

She leaves her pen on the table and reads through the paper, keeping a mental tally of his marks. Amy deducts two points for grammar and adds them back. She knows she’s harsher than most examiners when it comes to this. Amy then deducts them again. Every examiner has areas they are harsher on and areas they’re lighter on. If she doesn’t do this accurately then the entire hypothetical exercise is pointless.

If it’s an obvious pass she’ll send it off to be marked by someone else without another thought. Amy isn’t sure what she’ll do if the opposite is true. It’s not something she gives her mind room to consider.

Amy stares at the paper when she’s finished. One fricking point. He’s going to fail by one point. Except there’s nothing in the rules saying she can’t mark it herself and it’s only one mark that needs fudging which would be the easiest thing in the world. She could just deduct one point instead of two for grammar. No one would need to know. It would be beyond rebuke. It’s insane that she’s even considering this. But she knows, oh she knows how much this means to Jake.

But the rules are everything to her. The making of her core. Without rules there’s just chaos. And this, who gets to achieve a new rank, this is something important. It’s what she stands for. Can she really compromise herself in this way? She has to, for Jake, she has to. She loves him so much and he needs this, badly. But it will haunt her, devour her, take her apart from the inside. Amy can’t lie here. This is who she is.

She hates this. The thought of doing this to Jake, her Jake. She sends the paper back, unmarked. And hopes Jake won’t come to resent her for it.

She tells Jake of course, she has to, words tentative and gentle and nervous. And he’s upset of course. Not with her, he says, he’d never want her to compromise herself for him. And he wouldn’t want to cheat his way to being a Sergeant. And everything’s fine. But she knew he’d say these things and she isn’t worried about today or tomorrow. She’s worried what happens six months or a year or two years down the line.

 

*

 

When the results letter comes, Jake discards it unopened onto a pile of papers like he doesn’t care. Amy knows that’s his important stuff pile though. Amy itches to open it, but she understands his need to prepare himself. That is until it’s still sitting there two days later.

“I doesn’t matter,” Jake says, “I know I haven’t passed.”

“Detective Peralta,” Amy says, voice soft but firm. “Open the letter, that’s an order.”

Jake swallows, shutting his eyes as he pulls the sheet of paper out of its envelope. Before finally, dramatically, looking at it. He grins. “I’m going to be a sergeant.”


End file.
